There are rumours that some of the senior officers associated with the botched A13 widening and the Stanford-le-Hope railway station rebuilding projects may be departing Thurrock Council: Mystery surrounds who is staying or going at the helm of key Thurrock Council services and projects. Senior officers associated with other areas of the council’s operations are also rumoured to be departing.

Unsurprisingly, when questioned by the local media about these rumoured departures and the reasons for them, Thurrock Council remained tight lipped and refused to give any answers. This is a council that pays scant regard to the role local journalists play in ensuring accountability and transparency. This is a council that seems to have real problems understanding what the concepts of accountability and transparency mean. This is a council that does not understand the importance of being accountable and transparent to the people who pay their salaries and allowances, namely the residents of this borough.

So, here’s a little reminder to Thurrock Council as to what these concepts mean followed by a warning…